Chris Van Allsburg is one of America's most innovative picture book creators. He is perhaps best known for the contemporary classic The Polar Express, which received the Caldecott Medal in 1985 and was made into a blockbuster movie starring Tom Hanks. He also received the Caldecott Medal for Jumanji , which was made into a popular feature film in 1996 and again in 2017. He also received a Caldecott Honor for his very first book, The Garden of Abdul Gasazi. He has received the Regina Medal for lifetime achievement in children's literature, a National Book Award, and a Society of Illustrators Lifetime Achievement Award, among other honors. He lives outside of Boston, Massachusetts. Visit him at chrisvanallsburg.com.